Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

23 Ways To Communicate With A Non-Verbal Child

Excerpt from: Friendship Circle Blog (click for full article)

 

“Just because a person can’t speak doesn’t mean they have nothing to say.” A very important reminder from a parent of a non-verbal child.

Communication is a basic human need, allowing people to connect with others, make decisions that affect their lives, express feelings and feel part of the community they live in.

People with little or no speech still have the same communication needs as the rest of us.  We may just have to work a bit harder to find a communication strategy that works.

It takes a community to assist those with autism

Excerpt from: Autism Support Network (click for full article)

 

I am 21 and I have autism. Recently, the state Senate passed a resolution making April Autism Awareness Month in California. The reason the resolution passed is because there are a lot more children diagnosed now than ever before (one in 110, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Autism is a label that is shared by people who have different abilities and challenges.

People in the autism community often say, "When you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism." To be diagnosed with autism, you need to have challenges in the areas of communication and social relationships, and intense attachments to objects or topics.

I have been very lucky, and I would like to give back to my community by telling people what having autism is like. There are many people on the autism spectrum in our community, so it is important to realize what your fellow citizens have struggles with every day.

My greatest challenge is communication. I cannot talk very much. I have found a way to communicate, and this has changed my life. In high school, I learned to point with one finger to a letterboard or keyboard to do my homework and to communicate.

Autism Awareness in April and Everyday

Excerpt from: My Special Needs Network (click for full article)

 

Nutrition : Autism has brought great insight into really examining what we put into our bodies. It has brought to the forefront the toxins of preservatives in medications and vaccines, but also how allergens can really effect  function and behavior with casein and gluten intolerances as well as looking at vitamin supplements that could benefit us all.

Language and Communication : Autism has given us a plethora of the understanding of social communication as well as strategies and techniques to use when presenting language enriched material that can help many. Technology advances such as the IPAD and other software has shown to not only be an advantage for everyone,but essential for those with language needs in communication and expressive and receptive domains. Social stories work well with all members of my family. First and Then charts too. I am the queen of lists, visual schedules and plans.

Social/Emotional :  As a teacher of children with Autism I believe with all my heart that the primary area with young children is to engage them social/emotionally. Get them beyond Fight Fright Flight and into a balance between their limbic and cognitive systems, that enable them to express empathy, helpfulness and genuine strategies and tools to be able to take chances and engage in higher levels of cognitive thought. There was great research about Emotional Intelligence being a better predictor of life’s success than a cognitive intelligence.

Instead of looking at the deficits, it is important to look at the glass half full and see all the gifts Autism has given, not just during the month of April, but every day.

Improving communication for people with learning disabilities

Excerpt from: Supporting People with Intellectual Disabilities (click for full article)

 

There is a free online article from the Nursing Standard describing how communication for people with learning disabilities can be improved in healthcare settings. Download it here.

Facebook Is a Social Outlet and Brain Booster for Seniors

Excerpt from: Healthline (click for full article)

 

Think Facebook is a waste of time? Your grandma begs to differ.

By logging on, she’s opening herself up to a new world of social interaction and community engagement—and not just through FarmVille. Researchers at the University of Arizona have found that the social media site isn’t just for uploading party photos and killing time. Facebook also boosts the cognitive abilities of older people and provides them with a stronger connection to their loved ones.

"The idea evolved from two bodies of research," said Betty Glisky, head of the department of psychology at the U of A. "One, there is evidence to suggest that staying more cognitively engaged—learning new skills, not just becoming a couch potato when you retire but staying active—leads to better cognitive performance. It's kind of this 'use it or lose it' hypothesis."

Program offers phones to people with disabilities

Excerpt from: The Telegraph (click for full article)

 

Making a phone call is a commonplace action for nearly everyone, but for many New Hampshire residents, this isn’t the case.

Staying in touch with family and friends or being able to quickly report an emergency is a challenge for many because of their disabilities.

This year, a New Hampshire organization wants to make sure all residents have easy access to a telephone by handing out more specialized phones for free or at a reduce priced for disabled individuals.

MaryLou Serrecchia, who coordinates the Concord-based Northeast Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services’ New Hampshire Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program, said its main goal is “to bring natural means of telephone communication to people with disabilities.”

High functioning person with an autism spectrum disorder: a "tourist" in his native country

Excerpt from: Autism Support Network (click for full article)

 

In many ways the high functioning articulate person with an autism spectrum disorder is just like this tourist. He does not quite understand the various subtleties of his native language and is unaware of some of the cultural information implicit in our daily communication. But, unlike the tourist, the person with an autism spectrum disorder may not know that he does not understand or may not realize the extent to which he is missing common information. The tourist may ask questions or develop hypotheses about what he thinks people are talking about. He may check his hunches with a familiar communication partner. In most cases, however, the person with an autism spectrum disorder probably would not engage in these confirmation or clarification activities.

Pediatricians say kids need recess during school

Excerpt from: Chicago Tribune (click for full article)

 

A group of American pediatricians is telling school districts that children need recess and free time during the school day, and it should not even be taken away as punishment.

"We consider it essentially the child's personal time and don't feel it should be taken away for academic or punitive reasons," said Dr. Robert Murray, who co-authored the new policy statement for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The statement, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, says recess is a "crucial and necessary component of a child's development."

Recess helps students develop communication skills, such as cooperation and sharing, and helps counteract the time they spend sitting in class, according to the statement.

"The cognitive literature indicates that children are exactly as we are as adults. Whenever they're performing a complicated or complex task, they need time to process the information," said Murray, a professor at Ohio State University in Columbus.

Another Side Effect Of Chemotherapy: 'Chemo Brain'

Excerpt from: NPR (click for full article)

 

For Yolanda Hunter, a 41-year-old hospice nurse, mother of three and breast cancer patient, these cognitive side effects of chemotherapy were hard to miss.

"I could think of words I wanted to say," Hunter says. "I knew what I wanted to say. ... There was a disconnect from my brain to my mouth."

Before getting treated for cancer, Hunter led a busy, active lifestyle. But the effects of chemotherapy on her brain made it difficult for her to do even the most basic things.

"I couldn't even formulate a smile. I had no expression," she says. "I might feel things on the inside, but it didn't translate to the outside. ... It literally felt like you were trying to fight your way through fog."

Some cancer patients call this mental fog "chemo brain." And now researchers are trying to quantify exactly what chemo brain really is.

Oncologist Jame Abraham, a professor at West Virginia University, says about a quarter of patients undergoing chemotherapy have trouble processing numbers, using short-term memory and focusing their attention.

 

How to find a cell phone for someone with intellectual/cognitive disability

Excerpt from: AccessWireless.org (click for full article)

 

The wireless industry is committed to developing better technology for people with functional limitations. Below are the features that can be built in to wireless products and services to make them more accessible:

• Alternate formats -Simply ask if product information and billing can be provided in alternate formats like Braille, large print and audiocassette.
• Audio, Visual and Vibrating Features - You can assign specific audible, visual, and vibrating alerts for functions like incoming calls or messages, calendar events and confirming keyboard inputs. You can also assign, create, purchase and download distinctive ringtones at a frequency you can hear more easily.
• Automatic Responses - Wireless devices may be programmed to automatically answer or redial certain calls or messages.
• Customizable and Standard Displays - Adjust a wireless device’s screen for better contrast, illumination, larger font size, and to “zoom” in and magnify. You can also assign icons or images for functions like caller ID.
• Hands-free or One-Touch: Wireless devices may offer hands-free features like speakerphones, or may have one button dialing and other pre-programmed features.
• Intelligent Keyboards -Some text-based features have intelligent keyboards or auto-spell functions that appear only when needed, and display a keyboard that is specific to the task.
• Tactile Keys - These specially marked keys help you position your fingers for specific functions like volume control, on/off, shortcuts for speed dialing, assignable ringtones and alerts or automatic answering. Predictive text and auto text features also help you to quickly enter information.
• Voice Control - Use your voice to make a call, play music, enter text or find a contact.
• Voice Output -Voice Output features “speak” to you, offering information like battery level, Wi-Fi and cellular network signal levels, incoming calls or messages and contacts.